Sunday Essays: Fanatically divine

Saturday, January 14, 2012

STATUE doubles. Thus, every year too, many are injured, in some years there are those who die from being crushed by stampede. Despite the great number of incidents, people still choose to go and risk their lives to join the procession in the belief that the Black Nazarene has blessed them and continues to bless them.

January 9 may be just another typical day for other parts of the Philippines but not for Quiapo, Manila. On this day each year, the streets of Quiapo are filled with people of different ages and from different walks of life, everyone in a frenzy to get close to the statue of the Black Nazarene

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The Black Nazarene is among the most popular religious icons in the country, its feast day among the busiest religious events in the whole archipelago.

According to an article in the Archdiocese of Manila website, the image of the Black Nazarene depicts a dark or a black Jesus Christ carrying a cross. It has been said that the statue was brought by a Spanish priest to Manila in 1607 aboard a galleon all the way from Mexico. It was able to withstand a fire on the ship although its dark color manifests that the statue did get burned. It has since been kept and honored.

Almost every year, the number of people who come to the procession of the Sacred

Statue doubles. Thus, every year too, many are injured, in some years there are those who die from being crushed by stampede.

Despite the great number of incidents, people still choose to go and risk their lives to join the procession in the belief that the Black Nazarene has blessed them and continues to bless them.

In an article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, different people shared the miracles they experienced through their devotion to the Black Nazarene. One said the Black Nazarene played a big role in reforming his ways, where from a drug addict who nurtured so many vices as well, he has mended his ways. Others said they were cured of their illnesses.

With all the obvious risks that this undying faith has caused the devotees, it is hard to understand why many Filipinos continue this sacred yet hazardous tradition. But, history gives us an idea as to why this still transpires.

Way before the Spaniards colonized the country, Filipinos were animists. With the spread of Christianity in the country, the practices of animism, like those which put importance to icons and representative figures was incorporated into Catholicism, thus the practice of honoring statues of saints.

One of the Ten Commandments in the Bible clearly states that we shouldn’t honor other Gods aside from our one true God. Though this statue that is one of the most honored objects of the Filipinos is one which may be the exact image of the true God, it is saddening how many people are able to put more importance on a piece of wood that is size of a human than by doing better in their lives and building a better relationship with God.
With all these almost-fanatical practices, it cannot be helped if some now believe that many people have lowered their devotion and trust in God by making a frenzied beeline for a statue made of wood.